Former NFL receiver Deion Branch, who played 12 seasons in the league and won a Super Bowl MVP with the New England Patriots, was recently hired by the University of Louisville to serve as the team's director of player personnel. An ideal position for Branch, who's expressed interest in coaching or working in the front office for a team.
But the odds of landing a top-level job in the NFL have been stacked against minority coaching candidates. And in light of Brian Flores' bombshell lawsuit against the league that alleges racial discrimination, Branch is frustrated with the broken hiring process that's existed for decades. He's also defending his friend and former coach in Flores, who worked on the Patriots' staff for years.
"I hope this situation doesn't hinder his chances of getting a job in the NFL, because he's a well-deserving coach," Branch told the Maggie and Perloff show on Wednesday. "You're just so proud of a gentleman who actually put the work in, did it the right way, and climbed the ranks the right way. He did it by the books... I mean, what more could you want? He did it the right way... It's just not fair... The last thing I want to do is go through the same line, and know at the end of the day, I may not get the same shot that he had.
"What about the younger minorities who didn't play, or don't have the name, such as myself? How do they feel? There are other coaches who've been in the game way longer than myself who clearly deserve a shot, and probably won't get that same opportunity... We all know that [Flores] deserves to be a head coach in the NFL. He has proven it... I pray that he gets a fair shot and gets an opportunity. There's still too many jobs available, and he's the best thing that's out there. That's the crazy part."
The lawsuit claims that the New York Giants recently interviewed Flores for their head coaching job under disingenuous conditions, as the team simply wanted to fulfill the league's "Rooney Rule" policy, which requires teams to interview external minority candidates for top-level openings. Flores' lawsuit also alleges that, back in 2019, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered Flores $100,000 for every loss, in an effort to tank for the No. 1 draft pick.
During an in-studio appearance on Wednesday's edition of "CBS Mornings," Flores discussed his allegations, saying in part, "I'm not the only one with a story to tell. People have come before me, and I know there are others who have similar stories and it's hard to speak out. You're making some sacrifices but this is bigger than football, and this is bigger than coaching." On Tuesday, the Giants, Dolphins, NFL, and Denver Broncos released statements, denying the allegations made by Flores.
Although 70-percent of the league's players are Black, none of the 32 team owners are. And at the moment, only one NFL head coach -- Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers -- is African American. Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders and Robert Saleh of the New York Jets are the only non-Black minority head coaches.
The entire NFL conversation between Branch and Maggie and Perloff can be accessed in the audio player above. Additional information and details about Flores' lawsuit can be found here.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.